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Barnett defies coroner's tunnel call

The West Australian government plans to give over the emergency lane in Perth's Graham Farmer Freeway tunnel to traffic, in defiance of a coroner's safety recommendations.

The Northbridge tunnel - known affectionately in Perth as the "Polly Pipe" in honour of AFL footballer Graham "Polly" Farmer - currently has two lanes plus an emergency lane.

Victorian Coroner Jennifer Coat made 14 recommendations earlier this week to prevent accidents like the fatal Burnley tunnel crash in Melbourne in 2007, including a ban on lane changes and having emergency lanes in new tunnels.

Hartley Sporn, the father of one of Burnley crash victims, told Fairfax Radio on Thursday the WA government should reconsider the Northbridge tunnel plan.

He said his son would probably still be alive if the Burnley tunnel had an emergency lane.

On Friday, Premier Colin Barnett said while only two lanes had been required previously in the tunnel, now three were needed.

"The Northbridge tunnel was always built to have three lanes," he told reporters.

"It will now go from two to three, and there are other measures in place to remove a vehicle that breaks down and the like.

"There's abilities to remove cars quickly and close off lanes, and that's a sophisticated, high-technology tunnel.

"Safety issues were thought through."

Mr Barnett also this week defied a Department of Environment and Conservation recommendation against installing bolts for use as anchor points at popular rock fishing sites, including Salmon Holes and Lowlands at Albany in the Great Southern region.

"The DEC had a hesitation about rock anchors being put in national parks, but the state government's made a decision that (anchor points) will go in national parks because that's where some of the most popular fishing places are, that's where some of the fatalities have occurred," he said.